Photo Flickr user val’sphotos under CC BY-NC 2.0
Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Funders web presentation
February 3, 2015
Mission
Create tools and conduct research that
quantifies the impact of farming system
choices on food nutritional quality,
food safety, animal welfare, farm
profitability, and agriculture’s
environmental footprint.
Photo: Dmytro Kochetov
under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Goal
To develop, validate, and apply analytical
systems quantifying the impacts of farming
systems, technology, and policy on:
• Food nutritional quality
• Food safety
• Agricultural productivity and economic
performance
• Natural resources and the environment
Photo: Andy Langager
under CC BY-NC 2.0
•
Quantify negative externalities stemming
from conventional systems and
technology.
Photo: C. Benbrook
•
Photo: Alan Vernon under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Project tangible benefits attainable
through integration of bio-based
solutions to routine challenges.
Photo: Jack Dykinga/USDA under CC BY 2.0
Databases
Analytical
Systems
Pesticide
Use Data
Pesticide
Use Data
System
Pesticide
Residue Data
Dietary Risk
Index
Nutritional
Content Data
Nutritional
Quality Index
Analyses
Share
Impact of GE
Crops on Use
How Resistance
Drives Use
Organic versus
Conventional Food
Domestic versus
Imported Foods
Nutrient Dense
versus Junk Food
Improving
Dietary Choices
Chuck Benbrook
appointed
Research
Professor @
WSU
2
0
1
2
Don Davis
hired as M2M
Consultant –
Nutritional
Quality
2
Nick Potter
hired as
Research
Associate
0
1
3
Karie Knoke
hired as M2M
Consultant –
Databases
2
Ben Lewis
hired as M2M
Consultant –
Data &
Website
0
AJ Farkas
hired as M2M
Consultant –
Visualization
1
4
Sonia Hall
hired as
Project
Manager
Pesticide Use Data System
U.S. Online
2
0
1
2
2
0
Dietary Risk
Analytical
System
U.K. and E.U.
1
3
2
0
1
4
Dietary Risk
Analytical
System
U.S. Online
Photos: Tomatoes – Dwight Sipler under CC BY 2.0; Aerial spraying – Flickr user tpmartins under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0; Spices – Angelo Domini under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
2
0
1
2
Impacts of GE Crops
Environ. Sciences
Europe
Milk Nutritional
Quality
Pesticide
Dietary Risk
PLOS ONE
Sustainability
2
0
1
3
2
0
1
4
Organic Crops
Meta-Analysis
British J. Nutrition
Number of times accessed online through Dec. 2014. All numbers except the Impacts of
GE Crops paper reflect full article views. * Impacts paper reflects abstract views.
… an Update of a High Impact Paper
Circulation/Reach: 431 million
Today Show, CBS, LA Times, NY
Times, NPR, TIME Magazine,
Capital Press, The Seattle Times,
Huffington Post
Milk Nutritional
Quality
PLOS ONE
2
0
1
2
2
0
1
3
2
Circulation/Reach: 615 million
The Guardian, NY Times, LA Times,
FOX News, NPR, National
Geographic, Huffington Post,
Science, SELF, Prevention
Organic Crops
Meta-Analysis
British J. Nutrition
0
1
4
Photo: Flickr user RK & Tina under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Circulation/Reach: 431 million
Today Show, CBS, LA Times
NY Times, NPR, TIME Magazine
Photos and statistics provided by Elizabeth Horton, Organic Valley
Organic Milk May Have Healthier Ratio of
Fatty Acids than Regular
Organic Whole Milk Provides Best
Heart-Health Benefits, Study Says
By Michelle Castillo
By Mary MacVean
Photo: Flickr user CleberMori under CC BY-NC 2.0
Circulation/Reach: 615 million
FOX News, NPR,
National Geographic
Huffington Post, Science, SELF,
Prevention
Organic Foods Are Tastier and Healthier,
Study Finds
By Mary Beth Albright
Photos and statistics provided by Elizabeth Horton, Organic Valley
Are Organic Vegetables More Nutritious
After All?
By Dan Charles
New Study Finds Organic Foods Are
Healthier than Conventionally Grown
Foods
By Deirdre Imus
Promoting Global Food
Security One Crop of
Tomatoes at a Time
The Devil in the Details
October 23, 2014
September 4, 2012
2
0
1
2
Number of blog
posts each quarter
2
0
1
3
2
0
1
4
New Insights Gained into
the Role of Dairy Products
in Promoting Healthier
Diets
October 9, 2013
Photos: Radishes – Flickr user Cleber Mori under CC BY-NC 2.0; Milk Can – Flickr user @Doug88888 under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0; Tomatoes – C. Benbrook.
2
AWARDED
0
1
2
$175,000
PLEDGED – ADD’L
2
0
1
$242,500
3
2
0
1
4
$167,500
$57,500
STONYFIELD
WHOLE FOODS
ORGANIC VALLEY
UNFI
CLIF BAR FAMILY FOUNDATION
CERES TRUST
CHIPOTLE
2000
2010
Pesticide Dietary Risk Questions:
• I want to avoid foods that pose relatively
high levels of pesticide dietary risk. Which
ones are at the top of the list?
• How different is the pesticide dietary risk of
organic apples, compared to conventionally
produced apples?
• Does it make a difference if I buy
domestically grown apples, compared to
imported apples?
Photo: Kabsik Park under CC BY 2.0
… to a Journal Accessible to You
Submitting to PLOS ONE:
Current Safety Standards for Glyphosate-Based
Herbicides do not Reflect New Insights on Low-Dose
Effects nor Exponential Growth in Use and
Human Exposures
Myers, J.P., M. Antoniou, B. Blumberg, L. Carroll, T. Colborn, L.G.
Everett, M. Hansen, P.J. Landrigan, B.P. Lanphear, R. Mesnage, L.N.
Vandenberg, F.S. vom Saal, W.V. Welshons and C. Benbrook
Trends in Glyphosate Herbicide Use in the U.S. and
Globally
Charles M. Benbrook
Photo: United Soybean Board under
CC BY 2.0
… to a Journal Accessible to You
Submitting to the British Journal of Nutrition:
Meta-Analysis of Nutritional and Food Safety
Advantages of Organic Animal Products
With University of Newcastle team
Meta-Analysis of Nutritional and Food Safety Benefits
of Organic Dairy Products
With University of Newcastle team
Photo: Flickr user Dana
under CC BY-ND 2.0
Or M2M’s Return On Investment
• Hard-edged evaluations of agricultural and
food system outcomes.
• Excellent access to peer-reviewed journals
and science media.
• Credibility for M2M professional staff not
possible when working with NGOs.
• Train a new generation of analysts in the
science and art of sustainable agriculture.
• Help create safe career paths for those
willing to question conventional wisdom.
Photo: 401calculator.org
under CC BY-SA 2.0
ANSWER BIG QUESTIONS ABOUT:
• Food nutritional quality
• Food safety
• Agricultural productivity and economic
performance
• Natural resources and the environment
EFFECTIVELY SHARE SCIENCE-BASED
ANSWERS WITH PRODUCERS, INDUSTRY,
CONSUMERS, POLICY MAKERS.
Photo: Flickr user The AutoMotovated
Cyclist under CC BY-ND 2.0
… Recruiting Talented People…
TODAY
M2M Program
Leader
IN FIVE YEARS
Nutr. Quality
Lead Scientist
Research
Analyst
Food Safety
Lead Scientist
Project
Manager
Agr. Performance
Lead Scientist
Consultant
Consultant
Consultant
Consultant
Environmental
Impacts
Lead Scientist
Post-doc
Post-doc
PhD Student
PhD Student
PhD Student
PhD Student
Post-doc
Post-doc
Post-doc
Post-doc
MSc Student
MSc Student
MSc Student
MSc Student
MSc Student
MSc Student
MSc Student
MSc Student
Photo: USDA/Jack Dykinga under CC BY 2.0
Soil Health
• Determine how to most effectively
measure it.
• Quantify the benefits that can be derived
from enhancing it:




Photo: USDA NRCS under CC BY-SA 2.0
microbial biocontrol,
carbon sequestration,
reduced fossil fuel use,
….
Impacts of GE Crops
• Compile an international database on trends in pesticide use.
• Initiate biomonitoring for key GE crop proteins and pesticides in
foods.
• Cooperate in cutting edge toxicology and epidemiology projects.
Photo: Flickr user tpmartins under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Environmental Footprint
• Quantify the environmental footprint of milk production.
• Quantify the role played by forage-based feeds on improving cow
health and longevity.
Photo: Susie Blackmon under CC BY-NC 2.0
… Sustainable Agriculture
When the flow of information is science-based and
quantifiable…
… production, consumption
and policy decisions can be based on science …
… and food and agricultural systems can more efficiently
and effectively move towards enhancing and sustaining
the well-being of people, animals, and our planet.
Photo: Flickr user cobalt123 under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Photo from val’sphotos under CC BY-NC 2.0